Veteran star Zeenat Aman has never shied away from sharing anecdotes from her career. Recently, the ‘Qurbani’ actress remembered her dear friend, the legendary Raj Kapoor and shared an interesting anecdote. Getting candid on Instagram, Aman reveals how she convinced Kapoor to cast her as Rupa in the 1978 blockbuster, ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram.’

Sharing a black and white photograph, Zeenat Aman penned that December will celebrate the 100^th birth anniversary of the legendary star Raj Kapoor. Remembering him, she revealed how her ‘modern’ didn’t let him consider her for the role of Rupa in the 1978 film. Revealing the details, she penned, “It was around 1976, and we were shooting Vakil Babu. Rajji was playing the titular role, while his younger brother Shashi Kapoor and I were playing leading roles as each other’s love interests. In between takes, while the technicians changed sets and rigged lights, we cast members often found ourselves with time to kill.”

 

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A post shared by Zeenat Aman (@thezeenataman)

Continuing, she added, “Now Rajji had a radical approach to his art, and he was brimming with enthusiasm for a film he wanted to make. For days he regaled us with his idea for a story about a man who falls in love with a woman’s voice but can’t quite reconcile himself to her appearance. He spoke with unfettered and rousing passion, but never once even hinted that I could be a part of this film. I was already a star in my own right, and his lack of interest in casting me began to chafe. I knew that my “modern image”, complete with mini skirts and boots, was the culprit. So, I determined to take matters into my own hands.”

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Revealing how she managed to convince Kapoor to cast her in the film, Aman stated, “I knew that Rajji spent much of his spare time at ‘The Cottage’ set on the grounds of his sprawling R.K. Studio. It was here that he would hold meetings or host small events, often presiding over these gatherings from a pristine mattress placed on the floor. So I made my move. One evening, having wrapped up early from shoot, I spent an extra 30 minutes in my dressing room making myself up in my own interpretation of Rupa. I put on a ghagra choli, braided my hair with a parandi, and then stuck tissue paper onto my face with glue in an effort to scar my visage.”

Sharing what followed, Aman wrote, “When I reached The Cottage I was greeted at the door by John, Rajji’s right-hand man. He looked quizzically at me but followed my request – “Saabji ko kaho ki Rupa ayi hai” To be continued tomorrow…”

During her career, Zeenat Aman has delivered several hits including ‘Don,’ ‘The Great Gambler,’ ‘Qurbani,’ and ‘Dostana’ among others.